Russian Christians grieve war with Ukraine

As Russia-Ukraine peace talks drag on with little resolution, the death toll continues to rise in Eastern Europe - and for many Russian Christians, the ongoing invasion of a country with which they have shared such close partnership is the cause of “great sorrow.”

Ukraine Losses, a website that records Ukrainian casualty data, currently lists 76,000 Military deaths while estimates of Russian losses are upwards of 100,000 according to the BBC.

In figures reported by The Wall Street Journal, the total loss of life on both sides numbers more than a million people.

“I do not support the war and I know that most members of our church also do not support the war,” said pastor of a Baptist church in Western Russia, Daniil, whose name has been changed to protect his identity. “We pray that God will stop this horror.”

“We supported the missionaries who worked in the Kherson, Donetsk and Lugansk republics,” Daniil said, noting that he and other Christians in his church are sending humanitarian aid to those regions, as well as supporting refugees who have ended up in their city due to the war.

“This war has prompted us to reconsider our views on war,” he said. “We have become even more convinced that we need to bring God's peace to the dying people in this world.”

Pastor Yevgeny Bakhmutsky of Russian Bible Church in Moscow says that many Russian Christians are dedicated to helping refugees and those in need at the frontlines, as well as using all legal means to bring peace between the two countries.

“By God's grace, we have been able to assist thousands of people. We encountered heartbreaking pain, sorrow, despair, and hopelessness, but we also witnessed numerous miracles, conversions to Christ, and spiritual renewals,” he said.

“Most Christians whom I know in Russia empathize and are distressed that these military actions have taken place,” Bakhmutsky continued. “They share in the sorrow of their brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering in both Ukraine and Russia, and they pray fervently for a swift resolution and lasting peace.”

'Primary identity in Christ'

While relationships between Ukrainian and Russian Christians have been “shaken and challenged” over the past three years, they have not been broken, the Moscow pastor said.

However, Bakhmutsky also noted that reactions span a wide spectrum. “I've noticed that believers who find their primary identity in Christ have grown much closer to one another,” he said. “Shared suffering has softened hearts and fostered greater unity. They are finding acceptable ways to interact and support each other as Christians in these challenging times, from praying together to engaging in mutual ministry.”

“Although Satan is undoubtedly trying to sow division, God's grace consistently draws us back to Christ, where we find each other once again.”

Despite such tragic circumstances, new opportunities have been appearing for Russian Christians to share the gospel.

“Many people are turning to churches and finding solace in the Lord during these trying times,” Bakhmutsky said.

At Russian Bible Church, ministry is thriving. Recently, the church hosted a new outreach event which 62 people attended, and the church’s small groups and youth programmes are flourishing. To accommodate the influx of attendees, the church has added a second Sunday worship service and even planted a new church, with plans to plant another in a year or two.

While the war continues, Bakhmutsky asks for prayers for suffering brothers and sisters in Ukraine as well as wisdom and strength for the Russian Church as they seek to love and serve one another and their neighbours.

“We place our hope in God's mercy and goodness, trusting that He will bring this terrible war reality to an end soon,” he said. “Our hope is not in earthly rulers, human efforts, blind fate, or naive optimism. Instead, we anchor our hope in the Lord God, the Sovereign over all history.”